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Mary Jane Mucklestone

Hand Knitting Blog & Knitting Patterns

design

Cushing Cowl

February 20, 2020 by Mary Jane 1 Comment

I love a cowl. Cozy and warm! And they won’t blow off or strangle you in the wind, but rather stay put and do their job.

Say hello to Cushing Cowl, inspired by the diagonal knitting of Maine fiber artist Katharine Cobey. I was scheduled to teach my Contemporary Stranded Knitting class at the Farnsworth Museum in Rockland Maine, who are having an exhibit of Katharine’s work. Wanting to add a little of her influence, I got to wondering how to apply her ideas about diagonals to stranded colorwork. I went a bit wild in the process, making zigzags, arrows, chevrons and diamonds that all stemmed from one little pattern repeat.

I began by playing around with diagonal lines, and settled on a 6 stitch x 6 row, diagonal pattern – 3 stitches of each color marching to the left. I flipped the motif horizontally to see what would happen. I discovered that if I added another column of stitches, I could make an arrow shape (above right) I’ve outlined the original 6×6 pattern in red so you can see. Next I flipped that whole new bit down, and added a row to make a diamond shape! That’s how it starts. The possibilities are endless!

I wanted a graphic look for my cowl, so I dove into my stash and came out with two skeins of local Maine based, Quince & Co. Lark, worsted weight yarn in Pea Coat, a nice dark navy for the Main Color. I wanted to pair it with an off-white. I didn’t have a full skein of anything, but found a couple of partial white balls, Audouin, sort of an oatmeal color, and a little ball of Egret, a bright white.

Necessity is the mother of invention, I used them both! Plus, I think having the two slightly different whites are what really make these solid colors work so nicely. The effect is very subtle, but so much more lively than if I had just used one contrast color.

MJM iat the town landing in Falmouth Maine, wearing Cushing Cowl and Dash Happy Hat

I’ve been wearing my version ever since! Here I’m at the end of the dock in Falmouth Maine, at the town landing.

Olivia, my wonderful intern for the last few weeks, willingly took on making a second sample. She choose Lark in River, a medium blue color and a wonderful variegated yellow called Salty Dog, in Dream State, by Spincycle Yarns out of Bellingham, Washington.

We were both delighted with the resulting cowl, the colorplay of the Spincycle yarn is effortlessly beautiful! Olivia herself is extra extra, agreeing with only a tiny hesitation to being my supermodel at the drop of a hat, twice!

I can not thank her enough, she’s the best!

Estimated Worsted Weight Yarn Amounts

  • Version 1 MC 165yd [150m],  CC1 60yd [55m],  CC2 30yd [28m]
  • Version 2 MC 165yd [150m],  CC  90yd [83m]

Cushing Cowl

20% off with code: 2020

through midnight

Sunday February 21, 2020

on Ravelry

My thanks to you!

Further Reading: Diagonal Knitting: A Different Slant, by Katharine Cobey


I LOVE seeing your MJM WIPs and FOs! Please tag me so I don’t miss them! @mjmucklestone #maryjanemucklestone

Filed Under: Knitting Tagged With: Classes, color, colorwork, colour, colourwork, cowl, design, handknitting, inspiration, knitting pattern, Maine, quick knit, quince&co, ravelry, spincycle yarn, stranded knitting, winter accessories, wool, yarn

It is Still Winter!!!!

March 12, 2013 by Mary Jane 5 Comments

skiing

For my birthday I got cross-country SKIS + boots + poles which = FUN! So I’m still rooting for another snowstorm, though I am way in the minority around these parts. Sure some flowers would be nice, I can almost smell them when the sun comes out, and a robin or two singing would be cheery…but new snow would be even more fun for me now!

I’m outfitted in the Lopapeysa I got last summer in Iceland. Perfect, zips both ways. I’ve got my overalls on so my pants won’t fall down. I’m wearing my Elfin Peak Hat…and a stash busting scarf I made a while back with pom poms. Pom poms, as you may know, make you ski faster.

Of course you can make a scarf like this out of just about anything. I’m sure you can just whip this baby up without instructions, but sometimes you just don’t want to THINK AT ALL…Just Make!

For a scarf that measures 5.5 inches(14cm) wide and 43 inches(109cm) long – 45 inches(114cm) when measured with the pompoms –  here’s what I did:

Yarn: 1 skein Bartlettyarns 2 ply 100% Maine Wool [4oz /200yds (114g/183m)] ; Color “Bracken”. Assorted colors of worsted  weight yarn for pom poms 10 x 9yd (8.25m) lengths.
Needles: US8 (5mm) 24″ (60cm) or 32″ (80cm) circular needle – due to large number of stitches.
Notions: tapestry needle, 1 3/4″ (4.5cm) pom pom maker if desired.

POM POM HAPPINESS SCARF

Cast on 154 stitches. Knitting flat, knit every stitch every row for garter stitch.

Knit 48 rows.

Bind Off. Weave in ends.

Make 10 – 1.5″ (4cm) pompoms…any color you like! Leave the yarn that you tie the pom pom together with  long, and use those ends to sew them to the edge of the scarf – 5 on each end.

I like a really chubby pompom so I used about 9 yards (8.25m) for each. I use the “easy wrap” pom pom maker from Susan Bates and I trim my pom poms closely….a little obsessively.

Now you’re ready – to the woods!

pompom scarf

You can have this pattern as a Free Ravelry Download if you can’t keep those complex directions in your head!

Filed Under: Knitting Tagged With: design, garter stitch, knitting, knitting pattern, Lopapeysa, Maine, Maine wool, scarf

Possibilities

April 27, 2010 by Mary Jane 2 Comments

bedside

endless…
….. this is the beginning of UK Knit Camp Special Special Socks designed especially for my Fair Isle Sock Class

Friday August 13th 9:30-12:30, Sterling Scotland.

I hope it will be a pattern that inspires you to delve into making up your own!

Screen shot 2010-04-28 at 7.04.16 PM

Find more here!

Filed Under: Knitting Tagged With: design

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